Daily News: Monday 6/12/17

Monday was a day of product releases and updates throughout the automotive market.

Refreshed 2018 Honda Fit Announced: Now with More Let-Downs

The Honda Fit is one of the most smartly-packaged small-cars on sale in America, and the third-generation released in 2014 is receiving its first refresh. This update is visual and technical in nature, with Honda also adding a new trim entitled ‘Sport’ (pictured above). While the Fits bigger brother, the Civic, has a legitimately sporty ‘Sport’ model—more power, better suspension—this new trim level is entirely visual in nature. Honda’s press release uses phrases like, “the new Fit Sport trim features an even more aggressive and sporty look” and “…16-inch alloy wheels further adds to the sporty look” to describe the new trim level [emphasis mine]. No performance upgrades are included, which is both a shame and a perplexing omission, considering the success of Ford’s similarly-sized Fiesta ST. A Fit Si would be appreciated, but for now, the Sport model exists to get enthusiasts hopes up.

The rest of the trim-levels on the Fit receive updated fascia’s as well, with upper-level trims receiving as standard—although they are available on all levels—a whole host of new safety features. These available features are labeled Honda Sensing® which includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Brake Braking System™ (CMBS™), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) incorporating Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) incorporating Road Departure Warning (RDW). While that is a mouthful, it means that the Honda Fit is now the cheapest car in America with such an advanced suite of safety features available.

Look for the updated 2018 Honda Fit next month at your closest Honda Dealer.

2019 Jeep Wrangler Conceptualized: Informed Renderings

While Jeep has made pick-ups in the past, they have never produced a Wrangler-based pick-up, despite the fervent desire from Jeep Heads around the globe. In one of the worst-kept industry secrets, it is known that the next Jeep Wrangler platform, entitled JL/JLU, will spawn a pick-up variant (JT). While it is easy to assume a pickup variant would simply be a chopped Wrangler with a bed, insiders at the JLWrangler forums have rendered what they believe the pick-up will look like, using their special, insider information.

Key to these renderings, both two and four-door variants, is the newly learned information on shared body panels. It has come to light that the windshield, grille, lights, bumpers, front fenders, and hood will be shared between all the Jeep Wrangler models. This is a Good Thing, because those parts are what make a Jeep instantly recognizable, as well as connecting the model-line together. An interesting fact necessitated by the rear door, and carried over to the two-door model, is the angled bed-line, rather than the more traditional straight up-down of competing trucks.

Stay tuned for Jeep’s official announcement in coming months.

Polestar is Embracing the Electron, More Separation from Volvo

Polestar—Swedish tuning company famously, and recently officially, associated with Volvo—is set to separate itself from Volvo in the consumer market. Rather than separating in the sense of leaving Volvo for another company, Polestar is seeking to adopt an AMG-like business model, featuring an independently designed and produced vehicle, in the same vein as the AMG GT.

Less traditional about Polestar’s reported ambitions is the powertrain source. In a sign of the times, Polestar seeks to make their first car an electric sports car. In support of this claim is the future electric-vehicle platform planned by Volvo, as well as Polestar’s entry into the Formula E electric racing series. Polestar has also repeatedly stated that the fully gasoline powered models days are numbered at Polestar, with future models planned as performance-hybrids.

Look for more Polestar news later in the year.

Aston Martin Pumps out some Kicks

Furthering the trend of luxury car brands making luxury non-car products, Aston Martin announced a partnership with shoe (or clothing? I’m not actually sure…) company Hogan to produce a range of four dark-colored shoes, representing the four seasons. Featuring Genuine “Aston Martin classic kestrel tan leather with pinched seam detailing and feature the iconic Aston Martin wings” as the tongue material, the rest of the shoe seems to be a normal shoe. Limited to 3000 units, find them on Hogan’s website or store location quickly, as they will surely be snapped up.